Jury Duty Excuse Letter in Arkansas

A short letter asking the court to excuse you from jury duty or postpone it. Follow the instructions on your summons first, because courts handle these requests differently, and keep following the summons until the court answers.

What Arkansas law says

Who can be excused from jury duty	A person 80 or older may choose to exempt themselves from, or decline, jury service at any time. A court may excuse or defer anyone summoned when their own health or their family's health reasonably requires their absence, or when the court believes the person's own interests or the public's interests would be materially harmed by their attendance; the court sets how long the excuse lasts or the later term of service. Members of the General Assembly are entitled to defer service summoned within 30 days before or during a legislative session until 30 days after adjournment. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Page marked current as of March 28, 2024; Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-31-103 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)
Jury duty pay and your job	An Arkansas employer may not fire an employee, take away sick or vacation leave, or impose any other penalty because the employee is absent from work for jury duty, as long as the employee gives the employer reasonable notice of the summons. Violating this law is a Class A misdemeanor. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during jury service. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Page marked current as of March 28, 2024; Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-31-106 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Who can be excused from jury duty

A person 80 or older may choose to exempt themselves from, or decline, jury service at any time. A court may excuse or defer anyone summoned when their own health or their family's health reasonably requires their absence, or when the court believes the person's own interests or the public's interests would be materially harmed by their attendance; the court sets how long the excuse lasts or the later term of service. Members of the General Assembly are entitled to defer service summoned within 30 days before or during a legislative session until 30 days after adjournment.

Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Page marked current as of March 28, 2024;

Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-31-103 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Jury duty pay and your job

An Arkansas employer may not fire an employee, take away sick or vacation leave, or impose any other penalty because the employee is absent from work for jury duty, as long as the employee gives the employer reasonable notice of the summons. Violating this law is a Class A misdemeanor. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during jury service.

Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Page marked current as of March 28, 2024;

Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-31-106 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Fill it in

Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted, and keep a signed copy.

[today's date]

[your name]

[your mailing address]

[your phone or email]

To: [court or jury office name and address, from your summons]

Re: Jury summons. Juror number: [juror number from your summons]. Reporting date: [date you are told to report].

Dear [jury commissioner, clerk or judge named on your summons]:

I received a jury summons for the date above. I am asking to be [excused from / postponed from] jury service because [your reason, in one or two plain sentences].

I have attached [documents supporting your request, such as a doctor's note, or none].

If my service can be postponed, I can serve on these dates: [dates you are available].

Please tell me in writing whether my request is approved. I understand that I must follow the summons until I hear from the court.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Jury Duty Excuse Letter for other states · Arkansas tenant rights

Last verified against official sources: October 22, 2026.

How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.